Honda's "AWD" CRV is anything but AWD
Any cars you regret buying? - My '14 CR-V experience
- Thread starter dgunay
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I don’t know about the new ones but I know the “real time” system in my 2006 gets a lot of hate for being a part time system that only activates after losing front traction.
In reality, though, it works well. One major advantage of this kind of AWD system is that it weighs less than other solutions, keeping the overall weight of the vehicle relatively low. I have light AT tires on mine and can go basically anywhere geometry permits. I’ve even taken it on fire roads in CO and it has done fine. I have also driven through over a foot of virgin snow with no issues.
I’m sure I could probably get into a situation where I lifted two crosswise tires and it would fail to put power where it needs to be. More modern systems like what the Pilot has are going to be better in those situations. On the other hand, I’m an experienced off roader and I’ve never had an issue in how I use my old CR-V, and I take it to places probably 90% of people don’t go in CUVs.
Yes, my wife had to have a Dodge Neon (96?). Bought it lightly used and it was a real piece of junk. Problem after problem…
My Mom leased one of these new with the AWD. It looked close to the same as OPs. It was admittedly not very powerful. The awd made a noise like a frog if I recall. It did need warranty work in the form of the VTC actuator. It wasn't a big deal as it was taken care of easily enough, but not confidence inspiring to need a new Honda engine opened up. It consumed some oil as well.
The main thing with it was just that it was very obviously cost cut. She had an EX w/AWD and still had the urethane wheel, cheap looking dash, somewhat loud on the highway.
Despite all of that we did enjoy it. It steered and drove nicely enough. But she dumped it at lease end and bought an RDX that is a lot nicer overall for similar money and MPGs.
The main thing with it was just that it was very obviously cost cut. She had an EX w/AWD and still had the urethane wheel, cheap looking dash, somewhat loud on the highway.
Despite all of that we did enjoy it. It steered and drove nicely enough. But she dumped it at lease end and bought an RDX that is a lot nicer overall for similar money and MPGs.
Only owned two vehicles in my whole life, but both were/are great.
Had a 2001 Civic, purchased used, many kms on it, 12 years old when I got it. That thing was a great car, didn't have it long though, because ultimately I wanted a truck.
In 2014 bought a new F150, still have it, and what a great vehicle.
Had a 2001 Civic, purchased used, many kms on it, 12 years old when I got it. That thing was a great car, didn't have it long though, because ultimately I wanted a truck.
In 2014 bought a new F150, still have it, and what a great vehicle.
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Years ago I bought a base Peugeot 505 for parts for $100. Drove it home and thought it was too good to part out ( I was wrong in hind sight) but loved french cars so got it road worthy. The trunk had leaked for years probably, so needed a bunch of welding to get right. Of course the water leak led to many electrical gremlins, mainly in the rear of the car, ie, tail lights failing constantly.
It would also randomly not start, though thankfully it was manual so it could be pushed. For a french car the seats were just 'ok', but had the lateral support of park benches.
Fuel economy was poor, as was the acceleration. Oh and 3rd gear had a weird imbalance to it, and would vibrate the car alarmingly on on ramps. One day when it actually started, I had the strange sensation of the car wanting to steer itself when I accelerated: the rear subframe had rusted through and collapsing. That was it for me: I drove it home and called the scrap yard to come get it, I think I got $150 for it, and it was a great relief to watch it get dragged away.
It would also randomly not start, though thankfully it was manual so it could be pushed. For a french car the seats were just 'ok', but had the lateral support of park benches.
Fuel economy was poor, as was the acceleration. Oh and 3rd gear had a weird imbalance to it, and would vibrate the car alarmingly on on ramps. One day when it actually started, I had the strange sensation of the car wanting to steer itself when I accelerated: the rear subframe had rusted through and collapsing. That was it for me: I drove it home and called the scrap yard to come get it, I think I got $150 for it, and it was a great relief to watch it get dragged away.
With no centre diff, almost all the part time AWD systems are really part time 4WD, but it certainly is good enough for on-road adventures. The CRV is very obvious it is primarily fwd, until they spin and back axle kicks in, but that's fine too.
Subaru seems to have mastered the trick of having a mostly fwd vehicle that becomes 4WD unnoticeably, but other than that I don't find it helps much in normal driving compared to a CRV. For controlled drifting the subaru system is far better, but I can't drive that way on public roads that way too often!
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PT Cruiser. Turned me off to FWD 4-bangers. For the most part the car was fine, but that engine crammed into its minuscule engine bay was @#$!!@#...
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2012 Volvo S60. Burned oil, spastic and jerky transmission, AC failed at 30K miles and was so expensive to fix I decided to not even do it. One of my happiest days of the last several years was the day my neighbor smashed into it parked on the street and State Farm gave me an overly generous settlement for this POS. Traded it in for a 2013 Lexus GS 350 a fantastic car in every way.
As far as tOP's experience with the 4th gen CRV - my dad has a 2012 CRV I can confirm that it's slow and cheap on the interior but his runs like a champ and burns no oil between changes at 105,000 miles.
As far as tOP's experience with the 4th gen CRV - my dad has a 2012 CRV I can confirm that it's slow and cheap on the interior but his runs like a champ and burns no oil between changes at 105,000 miles.
2002 Mercedes c320 wagon. Bought new. Was my wife’s car. We got rid of it many years ago but off the top of my head I recall that we had numerous AC failures, window regulators, power seats, turn signals, some weird oil leaks, just a complete piece of you know what. I found out later we were smart to dump it because they also rust - thank the new eco friendly rustproofing. She replaced it with a new E class that was better but then there was a fuel vapor leak - i came
Out to the garage early one morning to walk the hounds and it smelled like with an ignition source we could have blown the house sky high. Car was dropped off for repair and then promptly sold. The BMWs I have I have owned since new and almost new, and they have not been problem free but the repairs have been age appropriate. The Subaru wagons my wife has had have all been good cars as have the Toyotas and now the Ram. No issues.
Out to the garage early one morning to walk the hounds and it smelled like with an ignition source we could have blown the house sky high. Car was dropped off for repair and then promptly sold. The BMWs I have I have owned since new and almost new, and they have not been problem free but the repairs have been age appropriate. The Subaru wagons my wife has had have all been good cars as have the Toyotas and now the Ram. No issues.
Old thread however agree on old CRV/my current 2013 RDX AWD implementation. It’s slow and reactive. The RDX had amazing AWD with top tier SH AWD before and after my generation (2013-2018).
SH AWD under hard acceleration would make vehicle RWD and moreover can increase speed slightly in out wheel in improve handling. It is/was on par with Subaru AWD.
SH AWD under hard acceleration would make vehicle RWD and moreover can increase speed slightly in out wheel in improve handling. It is/was on par with Subaru AWD.
Patman
Staff member
In 1997 I bought an 88 Taurus as a winter beater and it was so bad that I only drove it for about a month and then I started driving my 95 Trans Am instead. Everytime I came to a stop the idle on the Taurus would jump up to 2000 rpm. Plus it just felt terrible to drive, so floaty and lifeless.
1989 Dodge Dynasty. Absolute junk. 4 speed OD transmission out at 45K miles. Injectors blowing gas at 50K miles. My wife said "I think I smell gas". It was pooled on top of the intake. Ignition switch out around 70K. Rode great though. Last Dodge I owned and I haven't forgotten it yet.
I owned a 95 Nissan Pathfinder (V6 manual) for two years and was happy when I traded it for a 97 Tacoma. There really wasn't anything wrong with the vehicle, it's just that I quickly learned that I'm a truck person and not an SUV person. I bought a 4X8 trailer to replace the truck bed but that's not good for unplanned cargo. Now that I own more than one vehicle I wouldn't mind having one again.
yup the ultra drive was total junk.....
I've had a few but it would just be nitpicking on most of them, but the biggest one I wish I could go back in time and not buy was a then new 2015 Chevy Cruze Diesel. I went through a period of time where I was quickly trading one slightly oddball car for another and this was the culmination of that phase. I *wanted* it to be a cheaper Jetta TDI and since I worked in marketing for a GM and a few other brands auto group at the time I got a car allowance for it. It was slow, crude, and not nearly as efficient as I had hoped in real world highway driving. There was one company that sold a stage 1 performance tuner for it and when I had it dyno'ed after uploading that tune it almost blew up. I flashed back to stock, drove straight to Carmax and sold it (at a pretty big loss), and got a friend to bring me back to the dealer group where I bought a new Acura TLX.
2000 Ford Windstar SEL, bought new. It had most options and was pricey. Had it for several years and it had lots of minor issues. Ball joints, intake manifold gasket, driver side power sliding door quit, rattles, rear suspension noises, driver’s seat cushioning deteriorated, rear hatch glass shattered in our garage. Nothing really major, thankfully. After a few year's ownership I would have gladly traded it in, but the depreciation was pretty bad. I wish instead we had bought an Avalon or maybe a Maxima. Our three kids would have survived sharing a backseat, and I would have had a car I liked.
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